The school I attended for most of my elementary school education really encouraged me to perform my best. This was mostly due to the fact that my classmates and I were all privileged in that we came from stable homes with a steady income. Our parents were there when we got home so we couldn’t get into trouble or goof off. We all were given the opportunity to learn in a good environment, where we could grow up carefree. Having this chance to attend such a safe and successful school really got me off on the right foot in my education.
My first year of public school, I attended the worst school in town: Sugarland Elementary. It was an old, run down building in a gang-filled neighborhood. I spent kindergarten there, making friends and arts and crafts at the same time. However, after that year a new school was built closer to my house, and I was sent there for the next five years of school.
Lowes Island Elementary School was brand new the year I went there for first grade. The staff was young, the classrooms were clean and the blacktop and playground were not guarded by brick walls and fences, but rather open for all to see because the school was located in a growing community for those in the upper middle class, widely considered a safe area. Most of the children who attended that school came from families who had enough money to provide them with the time and materials their children needed to be successful. I knew that Lowes Island was very different from Sugarland right away.
Each week, the teachers all sent home “Friday Folders” that contained papers needing to be signed, curriculum information, updates on the student’s progress, upcoming events, and other school wide information to keep the parents informed. This played a huge part in the parent’s involvement. My parents and I would look through the Friday Folders every weekend to see what was going on at school, how they could help me.
This new school had a strong foothold in the community because everyone that lived nearby had a child attending grade school. The school often had fundraisers and sponsored fun events to get students involved and keep their interest. It was very different from some of the other schools around that saw the children only during school hours and never thought twice about providing them with a night of fun, such as roller skating in the gymnasium and playing bean bag toss.
Students at Lowes were encouraged to join the Student Council Association, SCA, to have a feeling of power and the ability to make changes throughout their time at Lowes. We also had our morning announcements on the classroom televisions, and our friends were the newscasters. Being in northern Virginia so close to DC, we had field trips to all the museums and memorials that were related to our classes.
Overall, myself and my fellow classmates at Lowes Island were given a feeling of empowerment, that we could apply to the rest of our education…we control our own future. We were given the resources to do so, and took advantage of the opportunities given to us as a school made up of the middle class. Everyone was equal, but taught to rise above, to become better. We grew up in a safe environment at Lowes Island, not having to walk home alone or worry about gunshots or drug dealers on street corners. I am thankful for this safe, fun environment that I grew up in, as it was the beginning of my love for school and education.
9/18/2010
EDC102H
Lowes Island
The school I attended for most of my elementary school education really encouraged me to perform my best. This was mostly due to the fact that my classmates and I were all privileged in that we came from stable homes with a steady income. Our parents were there when we got home so we couldn’t get into trouble or goof off. We all were given the opportunity to learn in a good environment, where we could grow up carefree. Having this chance to attend such a safe and successful school really got me off on the right foot in my education.
My first year of public school, I attended the worst school in town: Sugarland Elementary. It was an old, run down building in a gang-filled neighborhood. I spent kindergarten there, making friends and arts and crafts at the same time. However, after that year a new school was built closer to my house, and I was sent there for the next five years of school.
Lowes Island Elementary School was brand new the year I went there for first grade. The staff was young, the classrooms were clean and the blacktop and playground were not guarded by brick walls and fences, but rather open for all to see because the school was located in a growing community for those in the upper middle class, widely considered a safe area. Most of the children who attended that school came from families who had enough money to provide them with the time and materials their children needed to be successful. I knew that Lowes Island was very different from Sugarland right away.
Each week, the teachers all sent home “Friday Folders” that contained papers needing to be signed, curriculum information, updates on the student’s progress, upcoming events, and other school wide information to keep the parents informed. This played a huge part in the parent’s involvement. My parents and I would look through the Friday Folders every weekend to see what was going on at school, how they could help me.
This new school had a strong foothold in the community because everyone that lived nearby had a child attending grade school. The school often had fundraisers and sponsored fun events to get students involved and keep their interest. It was very different from some of the other schools around that saw the children only during school hours and never thought twice about providing them with a night of fun, such as roller skating in the gymnasium and playing bean bag toss.
Students at Lowes were encouraged to join the Student Council Association, SCA, to have a feeling of power and the ability to make changes throughout their time at Lowes. We also had our morning announcements on the classroom televisions, and our friends were the newscasters. Being in northern Virginia so close to DC, we had field trips to all the museums and memorials that were related to our classes.
Overall, myself and my fellow classmates at Lowes Island were given a feeling of empowerment, that we could apply to the rest of our education…we control our own future. We were given the resources to do so, and took advantage of the opportunities given to us as a school made up of the middle class. Everyone was equal, but taught to rise above, to become better. We grew up in a safe environment at Lowes Island, not having to walk home alone or worry about gunshots or drug dealers on street corners. I am thankful for this safe, fun environment that I grew up in, as it was the beginning of my love for school and education.